Method and apparatus for filing fingernails of guitarists,banjo players,and the like



United States Patent Inventor Laurindo Almeida 4104 Witzel Drive, Sherman Oaks, California 91403 Appl. No. 800,455

Filed Feb. 19, 1969 Patented Aug. 25, 1970 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILING FINGERNAILS OF GUITARISTS, BANJO PLAYERS, AND THE LIKE v [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,375,747 4/1968 Posey 84/453 Primary Examiner Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner- Lawrence R. Franklin Anorney-Sokolski and Wohlgemuth ABSTRACT: An abrading device comprises a flat sheet of abrasive material such as sandpaper, affixed to a backing support member having opposite edges folded over to form grasping means. The abrading device is placed over the strings of an instrument such as a guitar The musician simulates his playing of the instrument, instead of plucking the strings, running his fingernails over the surface of the abrasive material thereby filing the nails. In subsequent actual playing, the edgesof the fingernails are thus filed so that they are substantially parallel to the strings when such strings are plucked, thereby assuring optimum plucking action.

Patented Aug 25, 19 70 I 3,525,284

- 4 Y INVENTOR.

' LAURINDO ALMEIDA s0KoLsK| a WOHLGEMJTH ATTORNE Y5 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILING FINGERNAILS OF GUITARISTS, BANJO PLAYERS, AND THE LIKE This invention relates to stringed musical instruments such as guitars, banjos, and the like, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for filing an instrumentalists nails so they are capable of optimum plucking action.

In the playing of an instrument such as the guitar, banjo and i the like, which involves the plucking of strings, it is important that the edges of the fingernails be substantially parallel to the strings when the plucking is done. Great pains are therefore taken, especially by accomplished instrumentalists, to trim or file their fingernails to achieve this end result. It is generally very difficult to bring the edges of the nails to the desired shape due to the fact that the instrument is usually held differently by each musician so that there is generally a special different optimum shaping for each musicians fingernails, such shaping being somewhat difficult to predict.

The method and apparatus of this invention provides a simple yet highly effective way to achieve the optimum filing of the fingernails so as to enable optimum plucking action. This end result is achieved without requiring any determination whatsoever as to what the optimum edge shape may be in each instance, the nails rather being filed to a precisely optimum shape by virtue of a simulated playing of the instrument.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide simple yet highly effective means for filing an instrumentalist's fingernails for optimum plucking of the strings of an instrument such as guitar.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the device of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the embodiment of FIG. I installed on the strings of a guitar,

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the filing of the nails with the device of the invention, and

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the fingernails of an instrumentalist after filing has been accomplished with the device of the invention.

Briefly described, the invention comprises an abrading member including a backing with a flat abrasive surface thereon and turned over edge portions forming grasping means for grasping the first and last strings of an instrument such as a guitar to hold the member on the strings. The instrumentalist simulates the plucking action he would use in playing the instrument, running his fingernails across the abrasive surface rather than plucking the strings. This simulated plucking is continued until the nails have been filed sufficiently so that their edges are parallel to the strings with subsequent plucking thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the device of the invention is illustrated. Backing member 11 which may be fabricated of a suitable material such as plastic or metal, has a broad flat surface portion Ila and turned over edge portions 11b, at the opposite ends thereof. The flat broad surface portion 11a has an abrasive material 12 thereon which may comprise a sheet of sandpaper, emery cloth or diamond cloth which is fixedly attached to the backing, or may comprise an abrasive material which is directly deposited on the surface Ila.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the abrading member 11 is removably attached to the strings 14 of an instrument 15 by hooking the end portions 11b over the first and last strings of the instrument. The fold lines of end portions llb should be separated a distance which is slightly less than the distance between the first and last strings ofthe instrument so that they fit over the first and last strings in holding relationship with the resilient action of the strings holding the abrading member in place. Other attachment means, such as clips or the like. could be used for removably attaching the abrading member to the strm s.

Re ferring now to FIG. 3, the filing of the instrumentalists nails is achieved in the following manner: The instrumentalist moves his fingernails 19 over the abrasive surface I2 in the same manner as he would were he plucking the strings, simulating his playing action. In doing this. he should actually follow through the normal plucking he would do in playing a musical composition, lightly stroking the edges of his fingernails 19 across the abrasive surface. Preferably, the thumbnail is filed in this manner separately from the filing of the other four fingernails. This should be continued for a sufficient period of time to file the nails to a point where their edges will be parallel to the strings in subsequent plucking thereof. The amount of filing needed in each instance is readily determined by experimentation. The fingernails, as shown in FIG. 4, thus will be filed in an optimum manner for actual playing conditions by virtue of the simulated plucking so that the edges 19a of the fingernails are substantially parallel to strings 14 when the instrument is subsequently played. After the filing has been completed in this manner, the very ends of the nail edges may be rounded off slightly, with a regular nail file, as shown in FIG. 4.

The method and apparatus of this invention thus provide a technique for achieving optimum filing of an instrumentalists fingernails to assure proper plucking action, this end result being achieved in a highly effective yet simple manner.

Iclaim:

1. A method for filing ones fingernails for optimum plucking of a stringed instrument, comprising the steps of:

placing an abrasive member across the strings of the instrument; and

simulating the plucking of the strings of said instrument by running the fingernails over said abrasive member until the fingernails have been filed so that their edges are parallel to the strings in the plucking positions thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said abrasive member comprises a backing member having grasping means along the edges thereof, said grasping means being hooked between the first and last strings of said instrument.

3. In combination:

a stringed instrument having a plurality of parallel strings thereon;

an abrasion member for use in filing the fingernails of an instrumentalist; said abrasion member comprising a backing portion having a flat surface thereon, the edges of said backing portion being folded over to form grasping means to hold said abrasion member between the first and last strings of said instrument and abrasive material on said flat surface; and

whereby when the instrumentalist simulates the plucking of the strings of the instrument, he runs his fingernails over said abrasive material to file his nails.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said abrasive material comprises an abrasive sheet fixedly attached to the backing member.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the distance between the fold lines of said folded edges is slightly less than the distance between the first and last strings of said instrument. 

